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Shetland lies at Europes north-western frontier, over 200 miles north of Aberdeen and nearly 1,000 miles from Brussels. It comprises more than 100 islands, 16 of which are inhabited, and covers an area of 1,429 sq. km. The population is around 22,500.

In Shetland there are the popular towns of Kirkabister, Lerwick, Sandwick, Sandwick and Sandwick.

Geography

Shetland has over 900 miles of coastline. The hundred or so islands of Shetland are formed by a range of ancient hills standing on the continental shelf and partly drowned when sea level rose 400 feet (120m) at the end of the last glaciation, about 10-12,000 years ago. Shetland's "jigsaw" shape makes the coastline amazingly long - at least 900 miles (1,500km). This is a very old landscape. Although repeatedly flooded by the sea, the basic shape of Shetland has probably changed little for many millions of years. By far the largest island is 'Mainland' (351 square miles), followed by Yell, Unst, Fetlar), Bressay, Whalsay and Burra. Eight smaller ones are also inhabited, leaving more than 85 islands, holms and skerries to the sheep, the birds and the seals. Geologically, Shetland is complicated, containing everything from volcanic lavas and granite to sandstone and limestone.

Industry

Shetlands main industries are fish and oil with other important factors being tourism, livestock, computer consultancy, wind farming, marine engineering and boat building. Three quarters of the islands employees are in the service sector, reflecting the high level of activity by Shetland Islands Council, which runs inter-island ferries as well as providing all the usual council services.

History

For over 600 years after the Viking invasions in the late 8th and early 9th centuries AD, the islands' trade, language and social life were thoroughly Norwegian. Shetland became the northern third of the great earldom based on Orkney during the golden age of the Vikings. In 1263 King Harald of Norway's fleet rendezvoused at 'Breideyarsund' en route to the Battle of Largs, which marked the end of Norwegian domination on the west coast of Scotland. But in Shetland the Norse held sway for another 200 years, leaving thousands of place-names and dialect words which still testify to the Scandinavian influence.

Shetland Flag